Unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) adapted for transit in and deployment from a projectile casing is provided. The UAV includes a wing assembly coupled to the projectile casing and the wing assembly moveable between a closed position and a deployed position. The UAV further includes a propulsion system including at least one rotor disposed on the wing assembly to generate lift, wherein in the closed position, the wing assembly is substantially integral with the projectile casing and in the deployed position, the wing assembly is extended outwards from the projectile casing.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising:
 a projectile casing configured to be loaded as a round in and launched from a grenade launcher, the projectile casing comprising a detachable cartridge that comprises a hollow interior configured to accommodate a propelling charge; 
 a selectively actuated locking mechanism coupled to the projectile casing; 
 a wing assembly, the wing assembly being coupled to and substantially integral with the projectile casing and being selectively moveable upon actuation between a closed position in which the locking mechanism locks the wing assembly against the projectile casing such that an outer surfaces of the wing assembly form part of an outer surface of the projectile casing and a deployed position in which the locking mechanism releases the wing assembly to enable free ends of the wing assembly to deploy away from the projectile casing while other ends of the wing assembly remain coupled to the projectile casing; 
 an inertial measurement unit (IMU); 
 an altimeter module; 
 a microcontroller coupled to the IMU and to the altimeter, the microcontroller being configured to:
 estimate a trajectory of the UAV using the IMU and altimeter; and 
 provide signals to act upon the locking mechanism based on the estimated trajectory to cause the UAV to transition from a substantially parabolic ballistic phase of flight after launch in which the wing assembly is the closed position to an autonomous phase of flight after passage through an apogee of the substantially parabolic trajectory in which the wing assembly is in the deployed position; 
 
 a propulsion system comprising at least one rotor, disposed on the wing assembly, to generate lift during the autonomous phase of flight; and 
 a payload comprising an explosive at least sufficient to cause fragmentation of the projectile casing when the UAV has reached an intended target after the autonomous phase of flight. 
 
     
     
       2. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein the wing assembly in the closed position is substantially integral with the projectile casing to effect aerodynamic flight when the projectile casing is projected into an airborne trajectory. 
     
     
       3. The UAV of  claim 2 , wherein the wing assembly is configured for coupling to the projectile casing so as to maintain a portion of the wing assembly in tension when accelerating along the airborne trajectory. 
     
     
       4. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the wing assembly forms part of the projectile casing outer surface in the closed position. 
     
     
       5. The UAV of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge configured to couple the wing assembly to the projectile casing. 
     
     
       6. The UAV of  claim 5 , wherein the hinge is further configured to pivot about an axis transverse to the movement of the wing assembly between the closed position and the deployed position. 
     
     
       7. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein the wing assembly further is spring-biased towards the closed position. 
     
     
       8. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein the wing assembly is biased towards the closed position by gravity. 
     
     
       9. The UAV of  claim 8 , wherein the wing assembly is configured to extend to the deployed position after passage through the apogee of the airborne trajectory. 
     
     
       10. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein the wing assembly comprises one or more arms. 
     
     
       11. The UAV of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more arms of the wing assembly further comprises a propulsion system comprising at least one rotor disposed to generate lift. 
     
     
       12. The UAV of  claim 11 , wherein the rotor comprises a plurality of blades mounted to pivot outwardly under centrifugal force as the rotor rotates. 
     
     
       13. The UAV of  claim 10 , wherein the propulsion system comprises a plurality of individually controllable rotors and, by adjustment of angular velocities of each of the plurality of individually controllable rotors, provide adjustment of lift and torque to support stable flight of the UAV. 
     
     
       14. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile casing is substantially hollow and has an interior void configured to accommodate the payload. 
     
     
       15. The UAV of  claim 14 , wherein the payload includes at least one of an incendiary, a smoke charge, an incapacitating agent and an illumination composition. 
     
     
       16. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile casing is of generally right circular cylindrical shape. 
     
     
       17. The UAV of  claim 1 , wherein the projectile casing diameter is approximately 40-mm. 
     
     
       18. A method, comprising:
 providing an explosive round for a grenade launcher, the explosive round comprising an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) comprising a projectile casing, the projectile casing comprising a detachable cartridge that comprises a hollow interior configured to accommodate a propelling charge; a selectively actuated locking mechanism coupled to the projectile casing, a wing assembly that is coupled to the projectile casing and selectively moveable upon actuation between a closed position in which the locking mechanism locks the wing assembly against the projectile casing such that outer surfaces of the wing assembly form part of an outer surface of the projectile casing and a deployed position in which the locking mechanism releases the wing assembly to enable free ends of the wing assembly to deploy away from the projectile easing casing while other ends of the wing assembly remain coupled to the projectile casing; an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an altimeter module, a microcontroller coupled to the IMU and to the altimeter, and a propulsion system comprising at least one rotor that is disposed on the wing assembly to generate lift; 
 firing the explosive round from the grenade launcher to cause the propelling charge to propel the projectile casing, the cartridge to detach from the projectile casing and the UAV to be launched from the grenade launcher into a substantially parabolic ballistic trajectory while the locking mechanism locks the wing assembly against the projectile casing; 
 estimating, by the microcontroller, a trajectory of the UAV from signals from the IMU and the altimeter after launch; 
 determining, by the microcontroller, when the UAV passes through an apogee of the substantially parabolic ballistic trajectory; 
 when the UAV is determined to have passed through the apogee of the substantially parabolic trajectory,
 providing a signal to enable the wing assembly to deploy away from the projectile casing, 
 controlling, by the microcontroller, the propulsion system to provide lift to transition the UAV to an autonomous phase of flight toward a target, according to signals provided by the altimeter and the IMU; and 
 causing the round to explode at the target and fragment the projectile casing. 
 
 
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein after transitioning, the UAV departs from the substantially parabolic trajectory. 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising guiding the UAV to a target. 
     
     
       21. A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the grenade launcher comprises a 40-mm grenade launcher.